Doug Levy: Comparing Notes
The mission of Comparing Notes is to increase listeners' enjoyment of Western Dance and Art Music (a/k/a Classical) from the last 700 years. You'll spend an hour hearing different performances and judging for yourself which you like best - something about which you are never wrong. Doug Levy is a writer and former public radio broadcaster living in Buffalo, N.Y. Comments and questions are welcome at goodwithwords@mac.com.

10/11/09 This programs looks at what is probably the best known motif in classical music: the Fifth Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven. We sample three examples, and also three approaches to Mozart’s Piano Concert No. 19.
Beethoven : Symphony No. 5 in c-minor, Op. 67 (1st movement), performed by George Szell conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam (recorded in 1966)/Philips 420771, Herbert von Karajan conducting the Vienna Philharmonic (recorded in 1948)/Centurion Classics 2062, Carlos Kleiber conducting the Vienna Philharmonic (recorded in 1975)/Deutsche Grammophon 447400.
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 19 in F Major, K. 459 (3rd movement), performed by…Murray Perahia, soloist and conductor with the English Chamber Orchestra (recorded 1984)/CBS [Sony] MK39064, Dario Ntaca, soloist and conductor with Orchesta de San Luis (recorded 1992)/Symphony Enterprises SE1001, Rudolf Serkin, soloist; Claudio Abbado conducting the London Symphony Orchestra (recorded in 1984)/Deutsche Grammophon 410989.
to listen (59:49) or click here
8/16/09 Exploration of Interpretation
You’ll hear different arrangements of one work, a couple of performances of a work by the same musician, and a few musicians interpreting the same piece. Much of this program is focused on the music of J.S. Bach, with a little Brahms thrown in. Discography – Bach: “Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006,” (1st mvt., Prélude) = Nathan Milstein, violin [DG 457 701]; “Prelude from Lute Suite, BWV 1006b,” = Michael Cedric Smith, guitar [SB Music 23908]; “Sinfonia to Cantata No. 29,” = E. Power Biggs, organ/Gewandhaus Orch/Rotzsch [Sony 62680]; Wendy Carlos, Moog synthesizer [ESD 81602]. Bach: Partita No. 1 in B-flat Major, BWV 825 (1st, 3rd, and 6th mvts,, Prélude, Courante, Gigue) = Dinu Lipatti, piano, recorded July, 1950, London [Philips/EMI 456 892] and Sept. 16, 1950, Besançon, France [EMI 5 65166]. Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007 (1st mvt., Prélude) = Yo Yo Ma [Sony 89667; Anner Bylsma [Sony 48047]; Matt Haimovitz [Oxingale 2000]. Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 (3rd mvt.) = Jascha Heifetz/Chicago Sym Orch/Reiner [RCA 5402]; Hilary Hahn/Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/Marriner [Sony 89649].

to listen (58:00) or click here